This biography was first posted by the author on the Baao Historical & Cultural Society FB page, July 27, 2020, with Wikipedia as reference.
Biography
Ceferino “Joker” Paz Arroyo, Jr. (January 5, 1927 – October 5, 2015) was a Filipino statesman and key figure in the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution which ousted strongman President Ferdinand Marcos. He was Congressman for Makati from 1992 to 2001 and a Senator from 2001 to 2013. Arroyo received various awards and commendations for his significant contributions to the law profession and public service. Among these are the Philippine Bar Association’s Most Distinguished Award for Justice as a “man beholden to no one except to his country” and a Senate Resolution No. 100 enacted in the 8th Congress commending him for his invaluable services to the Filipino people.
Early life
Joker Arroyo was born on January 5, 1927, in Naga, Camarines Sur to Ceferino Barrameda Arroyo, Sr. (c. 1884 in Baao, Camarines Sur – January 7, 1949, in Sampaloc, Manila) and Eusebia Bance Paz (born c. 1898 in Baao, Camarines Sur). His parents were married on April 23, 1919, in Naga, Camarines Sur. He has seven siblings, including Zeferino “Tong”, Jack (who is also a politician in Camarines Sur), and Nonito, from Baao, Camarines Sur. His name “Joker” derives from his father’s fondness for card playing. Jack is the name of his brother.
Education
He completed his elementary education at the Naga Central School I in Naga, Camarines Sur and secondary education at the Camarines Sur National High School also in Naga City. He gained a scholarship at the University of the Philippines and obtained the title Bachelor of Arts, and in 1952, his Bachelor of Laws from the College of Law. He is a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity. He also obtained his AAPL at the Ateneo de Manila University.
Career
As a lawyer
He started his professional career as a lawyer in 1953. Most of his clients belonged to the middle class and low-income families.
On September 21, 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared Proclamation 1081, placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law. Arroyo was the very first lawyer to challenge the act before the Supreme Court and questioned its legality under the 1935 Philippine Constitution.
Arroyo and other lawyers joined in questioning other Marcos’ acts before the Supreme Court: 1) the ratification of the Marcos-dictated 1973 Constitution; 2) Amendment Six that empowered President Marcos to exercise lawmaking powers alongside the Batasang Pambansa; 3) the power of military tribunals to try civilians. These protestations did not stop Marcos’ consolidation of power at the time but showed that not all leading Filipinos were fully supportive of him.
Arroyo participated in the trials of political detainees such as Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., ABS-CBN Executive Eugenio Lopez, Jr., Cebu politician Sergio Osmeña III, Communist Party of the Philippines founder and University of the Philippines Professor Jose Maria Sison, Senators Jovito Salonga and Eva Kalaw, lawyers Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Lorenzo Tañada, Eduardo Olaguer and many others.
Arroyo actively participated in street demonstrations. He was gassed, injured and hospitalized during protest rallies and incarcerated in a military stockade. He was one of the founders of the civic group Movement for the Advancement of the Brotherhood, Integrity, Nationalism and Independence (MABINI) and the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG).
When Corazon Aquino decided to challenge Ferdinand Marcos in the 1986 Snap Presidential Election, Arroyo served as counsel for Cory Aquino during the snap election. During the first EDSA Revolution, he served as one of Aquino’s key advisers.
Political career
As Executive Secretary
Arroyo was appointed as Executive Secretary, and he was one of the first appointees of Corazon Aquino after she was inaugurated in Club Filipino in San Juan. Arroyo served as Aquino’s alter ego in her issuance of Executive Orders (formerly Presidential Decrees). These include the creation of the Family Code, the Presidential Commission on Good Government, creation of the 1986 Freedom Constitution, and the removal of local government officials loyal to Marcos and appointment of Officers-In-Charge. One Aquino decision, the release of Communist leader Jose Maria Sison, sparked the September 1987 coup attempt initiated by rebel military leaders. Due to intense pressure from the Philippine Congress in the following months, Aquino accepted Arroyo’s resignation.
Arroyo held various post in the government service first as Executive Secretary in the Aquino cabinet from 1986 to 1987, then as Chairman of the Philippine National Bank and as Executive Director for the Philippines in the Asian Development Bank from 1986 to 1990.
Arroyo received various awards and commendations for his significant contributions to the law profession and public service. Among these are the Philippine Bar Association’s Most Distinguished Award for Justice as a “man beholden to no one except to his country” and a Senate Resolution No. 100 enacted in the 8th Congress commending him for his invaluable services to the Filipino people.
As Congressman
Arroyo ran as an independent for the position of Congressman in the lone district of Makati in 1992. He was a popular figure in the House of Representatives with a 100% attendance record for nine years from the time he was elected up to the end of his last term. He was in caucus with the PDP-Laban. He passed several national bills and some local bills like the creation of the City of Makati and the second district of Makati. When the lone district of Makati City was divided into two, he ran for the first district in 1998.
In November 2000, he was one of the last congressmen to sign the endorsement for the impeachment of President Joseph Estrada. He was voted the Lead Prosecutor for the impeachment trial in December 2000. He fought for the opening of the second bank envelope and its presentation as critical evidence for the prosecution of Estrada. The Senate voted down his request and this led to the EDSA People Power II. His role in the impeachment trial earned him as one of preferred choices in the SWS and Pulse Asia survey for a Senate race. The new government, led by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo convinced Congressman Arroyo to run for the Senate. Arroyo received a huge number of votes from the electorate.
As Senator
Arroyo chaired the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, the Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee, and the Senate Public Services Committee, during the 13th congress. He claimed to have never traveled abroad with government money and his Statement of Assets and Liabilities has remained almost unchanged from the time he entered public service in 1986. He retired from public service on June 30, 2013.
Personal life
Joker Arroyo was married twice. His first wife was Gregg Shoes entrepreneur Odelia Gregorio. Their eldest daughter is Ma. Antonia Odelia “Maoi” Gregorio Arroyo, CEO of Hybridigm Consulting, the first biotechnology commercialization firm in the Philippines. Maoi was hailed by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top 35 entrepreneurs under 35 in the Philippines. His second daughter, Ma. Zef Francisca “Baba” Arroyo is an entrepreneur, artist, and pastry chef. His second wife is a successful lawyer, Felicitas S. Aquino, a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission. Their daughter is Joker’s namesake and a champion equestrian, whose career highlights include a team gold medal for the Philippines at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. The younger Joker graduated from the British School Manila, and Yale University.
Death
Arroyo died on October 5, 2015, in San Francisco, California after unsuccessful heart surgery. He was 88.
The header image shows Joker Arroyo voted as lead prosecutor for the impeachment trial of ex-President Joseph Estrada (credit: Tatler Asia)
About the author
RICO GUIDO IMPERIAL BADILLA was born and raised in Naga City by his parents Atty. Romulo Arevalo Badilla (+) and Fria Imperial Arroyo Badiila (+) from Baao, Camarines Sur. Suffering from a mild case of cerebral palsy, he was home schooled during his early childhood, but eventually enrolled with Naga Parochial School where he completed his elementary education. He graduated from Ateneo de Naga University High School and College. He manages a boarding house with his brother Dino in Naga City. He is an active member of the Baao Historical & Cultural Society.